FL Children's Doctors Face Gun Gag Order
(Posted May 18, 2011 07:48 am)
TALLAHASSEE,
FL - Florida is set to become the first state to pass a
law that would limit doctors' ability to counsel parents
about gun safety in the home. Pediatricians who decry
the law as wrongheaded are backed by statistics that
suggest the law will kill children.
The state Legislature last week approved a bill that
would make it illegal for a doctor to ask about guns
kept in the home. Dr. Louis St. Petery, a Tallahassee
pediatrician and executive vice president of the Florida
Pediatric Society, says the bill is on the desk of Gov.
Rick Scott, who is known to support gun rights and will
likely sign it.
"There's a jail sentence of up to five years and a
financial penalty up to $5 million, which is
horrendous."
Supporters of the measure claim it's a parent
right-to-privacy issue. St. Petery claims we can expect
an increase in injury and death among children and
adolescents because of improperly stored guns.
Pediatricians have some stark numbers to back them up. A
gun in the home is 43 times more likely to kill someone
known to the family than it is to kill someone in self
defense, according to a study by the American Academy of
Pediatricians.
"Reading of the bill indicates that I cannot discuss
with a parent whether or not they have firearms."
Similar legislation has been proposed in Virginia, West
Virginia, Alabama and North Carolina.
Supporters of the Florida bill, including the National Rifle Association, say they want to stop doctors from invading their privacy and are concerned the information may be used against them by insurance companies.